Employee development groups offer a slew of opportunities to put your business in position to receive positive recognition and increase sales. In addition to the members of the employee development council who work within the industry in some capacity, you will have opportunities to meet and get to know other employee development association members, including those in businesses that support the industry.

Affiliation with employee development associations provides lobbying and networking opportunities that can be immensely helpful to your own business interests while you support the industry. Membership in employee development councils often means access to information and contacts that can be important to your own company. Regional employee development groups offer even more opportunities to network with local business and industry leaders in your community. Approach your membership in professional organizations for employee development from a variety of perspectives.

1. Expand your network through employee development associations

2. Support the industry by participating in employee development councils

3. Stay informed with employee development organization publications

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Develop business contacts in employee development groups

Employee development organizations hold regular meetings, seminars and conventions for members and interested parties. At employee development association events, as well as through various committees in which you can participate, you will have numerous occasions to socialize and network with other business people who support and work within the employee development group. The business leaders you meet could offer a number of trade opportunities for you and your company.

I recommend: The IPMA Assessment Council is an employee development council comprised of personnel assessment practitioners. Many members of the American Management Association are involved in the field of employee development through a variety of occupations and businesses.

Demonstrate your interest by joining employee development associations

If you want to do business with employee development professionals in any kind of capacity, you will want to show your support while building relationships with national and local leaders in the industry. You often can do this best by participating in employee development groups with both your presence and your financial support.

I recommend: The Employee Profiling Benchmarking Association is involved in finding and setting benchmarks for best practices in the industry. At the Society for Human Resource Management, employee development professional meet at a variety of continuing ed and networking events.

Keep your company in the loop with publications from employee development organizations

While you may not have time to participate in a trade group or volunteer on a committee, you can take advantage of membership in employee development groups through the myriad publications they put out. By keeping up with the reports and news in the industry, you can pick and choose which events will be most beneficial for you to attend while keeping updated on changes or news that affects employee development associations.

I recommend: The American Society for Training and Development has loads of local chapters, publications and email newsletters that can help you keep in touch when you can’t attend the big conferences. At the Professionals in Human Resources Association, you can keep up through local chapters and a variety of publications.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Join committees in employee development councils to develop closer relationships with others who could prove helpful to your business.